The National Finals Rodeo continued its annual 10-day run at the Thomas & Mack Center on Saturday. Here’s a look at the leaders after the third performance. Bareback riding: 1. Tim O’Connell, 91.5 points on C5 Rodeo’s Virgil (tied arena record), $26,231 Steer wrestling: 1. Kyle Irwin, 3.4 seconds, $26,230 Team roping: 1. Luke Brown/Jake Long, 3.9 seconds, $26,231 each Saddle bronc riding: 1. Jacobs Crawley, 87.5 points on Sutton Rodeos’ South Point, $26,231 Tie-down roping: 1. Timber Moore, 7.1 seconds, $26,231 Barrel racing: 1. Hailey Kinsel, 13.11 seconds (new arena record), $26,231 Bull riding: 1. (tie) Sage Kimzey on Rafter H Rodeo’s Nose Bender, 91.5 points, $26,231 Bull riding: 1. (tie) Cole Melancon on Smith, Harper & Morgan’s Hot and Ready, 91.5 points, $26,231 All-around world standings: 1. Trevor Brazile, $313,837
The Wrangler National Finals Rodeo has returned to Las Vegas. The 10-day sporting event, which kicks off Thursday at the Thomas & Mack Center, is expected to bring more than 170,000 people to the city, generating a frenzy among hotels to lasso in the lucrative crowd. Casinos are aiming to corral guests by offering rodeo packages that include meals and tickets, hosting top country singers and sporting events. Many of the visitors for rodeo week come from California, Texas, Montana, Oklahoma, Wyoming and Colorado. More than two dozen country singers will perform over the next two weeks, including George Strait at T-Mobile Arena, Cody Johnson at the South Point and Dwight Yoakam at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.